A Nagging Feeling
by ChimeraDragon
Summary: A look into the mind of the Riddler and his relationship with Robin.What secrets do they hide?Companion story to "Why am I doing this" This All mistakes are mine.Written together but separate
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was just a nagging feeling in the back of his mind.

He was never very sure of himself, and this was one of those times. He was never sure what was the trigger to make him start wearing the suit. He never understood his own need for the color green and ...

Riddles. Well, puzzles to be more specific.

If he wasn't working on one he was making them. He couldn't stop himself. He could do Sudoku in his sleep, he could make convoluted riddles while programing, and he wasn't even the lead technician at Wayne Enterprises. But he liked it that way. A little anonymity went a long way. He loved his job...

"Nygma!" came the obnoxious voice rang out through the entrance to his cubicle.

Ed spun around and made his face politely impassive. "Yes, sir?"

The only thing about his job that he hated way the obnoxious man standing before him. Greasy and overweight with no gift other that for managing others.

'Paper pushing and nagging,' Ed thought to himself.

"This report is official!"

"Yes?" he asked, keeping his tone even and unassuming as he hunched down lower in his chair, know that anything could make this man go off on him. The fact that Ed stood at an impressive 6'8" when he wasn't hunched over, made him seem more intimidating than he ever wanted to be. Yet, there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind that he could outwit this man to his death and it wouldn't be

any extra thought for him. He gave in involuntary shiver.

"You wrote it in that ridiculous neon green pen of yours again! It's too difficult to read! Do it again!"

"But sir, that report took me three days to write and you never specified that it was to be in a specific color. That pen happened to be the one on hand."

The man smirked at him evilly. "Well that's just too bad. You have to re-write the entire report in black ink and it had better be on my desk by closing time tomorrow!" And with that ultimatum set he stormed out of the cubicle to harass another worker about the amount of time they spent on break that day.

Ed sighed to himself, uncurling in his chair a bit and closing a few of the programs he was working on. He would have to stay at the office overnight to get all of his work done by the closing tomorrow. And he knew if the report wasn't handwritten he'd get yelled at for that too.

He picked up his desk phone and dialed thoughtlessly; ordering food for delivery at dinner and just before the restaurant closed.

The soft sound of footsteps altered him to the presence of a visitor to his humble little world. He looked up from grabbing his most comfortable black gel pen to see none other than Richard Grayson, the adopted son of Bruce Wayne and his student. He often tutored the young acrobat on his lunch breaks and after work. And while he knew there was an unusual attachment to the young boy, he figured he was just displacing his feelings.

"Hello, Ri," he greeted cheerfully. He straightened his spine and heard it groan in protest, only a few joints popped to relieve the tension. "And how are you this fine day?"

"Um, Eddie, it's pouring rain outside," Ri replied as he set his backpack on the floor next to the semi cleared desk that the researcher kept just for his visitors. Just enough room for a notebook and a book.

The red haired man craned his head slightly and looked out the windows. "Why, so it is. Imagine that... a rainy day in Gotham. You know, some people call that Gotham Sunshine."

Richard merely rolled his eyes at the older man. Being only 14, he didn't see the humor that Edward did in the statement. He reached into his backpack pulling out a notebook and pencil, along with his algebra book and a pair of candy bars. "You are so weird."

"Yes, well, it comes with the territory," Ed replied as he looked at the candy bars with a reproachful eye. "You are not eating those by yourself right now, are you? They're bad for you."

"One won't hurt since I don't have them often, and remember, it's study day. I always bring one for you," Richard replied with a cocked eyebrow and a confused look. "I came up here when I noticed you weren't at the cafe."

"Ah, to go through the sunshine to get to the Sunshine," Ed mused out loud, giving another laugh.

Ri shook his head again and flipped to the page he had been working on earlier. "Here's your peanut butter Snickers," he said with an off handed toss. "I'm working on my algebra two assignments. I don't really think I'll need the help but you don't mind if I do my homework here, right? I feel smarter in here."

"Nah, you can stay as long as you like. I have some papers that I have to redo so I'll be very busy. Just let me know if there's anything I can help you with. And did you remember to call and tell Alfred that you won't be home right after school and that you walked back to Wayne Enterprises again?"

Richard looked bashful for a moment. "Oops, I forgot."

"Well, then, it's a good thing I programed that number into my desk phone, yes? Press the third from the bottom and it will go straight to his number," Ed replied as he pulled out the new forms from a drawer in his desk, preparing to get to copying all of the data over again.

"So, what are you working on?" Richard asked as he hung up the phone with Alfred. The kindly butler reminded him to be home in time for dinner and to make sure he didn't catch his death in the rain.

"Redoing a report in the 'proper' color," Ed replied with a world weary sigh. "Apparently my boss, Mr. Staeman, didn't like the green pen you got me for my birthday. He never mentioned that the report was official, nor that it had to be in a specific color. But today he threw it back in my face and told me to do it over in black ink, and it has to be done by tomorrow at closing."

"That's not fair! You've been working on that project for months, and he wants you to rewrite the findings by tomorrow?" Richard exclaimed angrily. "I oughta..."

"No, you 'oughta' get back to your school work. Don't worry about it, I'm taking care of it. And if you don't work on your homework I'll have to send you home," Ed warned as he flipped the page he was working on over and started writing on that side without a thought.

"Nygma!" Staeman roared as he rounded that corner of the desk. He was already dressed to leave, his coat and hat on, and he glared at Richard who had already turned back to work on his homework. "What is the Wayne kid doing here? You have work to do and we don't pay to you to babysit."

"I am not babysitting," Ed replied as he carefully finished the page he was working on and set the pen down. "He likes to do his homework on the spare desk in here. It helps him to focus, since I'm here working it helps to keep him on task. Also, I can help him if he gets stuck and check his work on my break before he leaves. Is that a problem? I'm not billing the company any extra for him being here, only for the hours that I actually work on a project."

Richard gave the man a scathing look as he turned to look at him from his homework. He took a menacing bite out of his candy bar and went back to his work.

"Just remember that has to be on my desk by closing tomorrow," Staeman growled and stormed off.

"Why do you take that ... abuse from him?" Richard asked as soon as the man was out of earshot.

"He's my boss and I don't want his job. Besides, if it makes him feel more like a man by belittling people that are far more talented than himself I actually feel kind of sorry for him," Ed replied with a shrug as he finished the second page front and back. He pulled out more paper and began on it, "He has self-confidence issues that likely stem from childhood bullying. Or a poor self image. But I'm no shrink so don't take my word for it." He gave a self-depreciating laugh.

"I think you're awesome, Eddie," Richard replied vehemently. He scribbled another question down onto his paper the way Ed had shown him and began doing to work out on the paper. He didn't really see the need to do all the work if the teacher said it wasn't necessary, but Ed said the process was as important as the result itself so he did it anyway. Even if it did take three times longer to get the work done, at least he got to spend three days a week with Ed working on that boring homework.

Several minutes passed in companionable silence before the phone on Ed's desk rang. Ed picked it up without thinking and answered. "Research and Development, Nygma speaking... Oh, hey Margie didn't know you were manning the phones tonight." A brief pause. "Favor huh? I know how that goes and ... food? Oh yeah, I ordered it a while ago. Could you be my savior and bring it up? I'll share if you want." Another pause. "Okay, see you in a few minutes."

"She's too nice for her own good," Richard said offhandedly.

"What do you mean by that?" Ed asked as he continued to transfer the information over.

"She's really smart and the guys around here are more interested in her good looks than her good personality," the teen replied with a simple shrug.

"Hey cute stuff," Margie said as she rounded the corner and saw Richard sitting at the desk, working hard on his homework. Margie ruffled his hair lightly and looked over Ed's shoulder as she dropped the food on the desk off from his right elbow, clear of the papers he was currently working on.

"Thank you, you really are a life saver," Ed said with a grateful smile. He set the pen down and dug in the bag. "Anything you want is yours as a delivery fee."

"Just a roll will be fine, I have my own order coming in a bit, then I'm out of here for the night. Isn't that the report you dropped off this morning on Steaman's desk? It's done, why are you rewriting it, and by hand of all things?" Margie asked as she snagged a roll from the box Ed had opened.

"Staeman's orders. He said it was an official report and the green pen was unacceptable. He's also been cutting back on my breaks. I filed a note about it with the higher authorities, they said they'll have my normal schedule back in a day or so. Trying to be diplomatic about it. After all, if they cut my breaks and I'm here for the same amount of time they have to pay me more," Ed replied.

"I think he needs to be hit," Richard said as he set his pencil down. "I'm done, Ed. Would you check my work?"

"Well, what he needs and what he will get is not something for us to decide, now is it?" Ed replied as he picked up the notebook. He quickly scanned the page and then closed his eyes, calculating in his head. "Everything is good. Did you have more work to do? Or are you headed off?"

"I was hoping I could do my art project here. We have to draw a person working on something and I wanted to draw you. I don't know what Bruce does in his office all day, and Alfred is never in one place long enough. You're the only person I'd want to draw doing work. Even Margie get's up and moves around," Richard replied with a nervous glance at the researcher.

"Sure, if you want to, but my job is hardly interesting," Ed replied. "And you have to head home when you're done with that, okay? I don't want to be responsible for a minor being out after curfew."

Margie giggled and walked off. "I'll try and delay the boss from coming to your desk at all tomorrow. I think I can do something for you."

"Thanks again! You're a lifesaver," Ed called. He tried to stretch but his back wouldn't allow for it. He winced in pain and tried to hide it, but Richard was too observant.

"You need me to walk on you again?" the ebony haired young man asked.

"If you don't mind, I seem to be a little stiff today," the red head replied. He stood and moved to the empty spot on the floor, he took off his glasses and set them in his chair as he laid face fist on the floor.

"Okay, just remember to relax," Richard said as he quickly toed off his shoes and stepped onto the tall man's back. An immediate series of crunching noises was heard as the teen made his way from the small of the older man's back to the top of his shoulders and back again. He nimbly hopped off and gave a slightly uncomfortable look as the lankly man practically oozed off the floor and back into his chair, grabbing his glasses on the way.

"Thank you so much for that," Ed said with a small smile on his face. He opened one of the food containers and got back to work, he turned on one of the monitors and began typing out numerical codes with his left hand when it wasn't providing food for his mouth to consume and writing with this right hand to get the documents done as quickly as possible.

Richard quietly pulled out his sketch book and a pencil, just watching Edward Nygma work for a few minutes. He placed his pencil on the paper and his hand fairly flew over it. Sketching lines and erasing others, adding shading and smudges. Almost two hours later the pair was interrupted by none other than Bruce Wayne coming into Edwards cubicle looking for Richard.

"Richard, it's time to go home. Alfred asked me to grab you since you hadn't come home yet," Bruce said in a semi quite tone, not really wanting to disturb the scene before him.

"Huh? What time is it?" Richard asked. He looked up from the finished page in his sketch book.

"Nine," Bruce replied. "I was finishing papers in my office. Have you been here since school let out?"

"Yeah, I asked Eddie to look over my homework and then we had an art assignment. A person at work. So I asked Eddie if I could draw him," Richard replied.

"Well, we-I have work to finish in the basement tonight. If you still want to help with that we have to head out soon," Bruce replied with a knowing look.

"Okay," Richard said as he packed up everything into his backpack but his sketch book. "Eddie, did you want to see it?"

"Yes," Ed replied as he looked up from his work. His food as long since been finished and he now had a considerable stack of finished paper before him. He took the offered sketchbook and looked. It was Edward, hair messy and hands that seemed to be in motion, blurred over the keyboards and his papers. "It's amazing. I'm sure your teacher will love it."

"Thanks," Richard replied as he quickly stuffed the book away. "I'll see you on Friday at the diner?"

"Through the sunshine to the Sunshine," Ed replied with a nod.

Several weeks later . . .

"Riddle me this ..." came the cry from above as Batman and Robin got their first look at the question marked envelop on the counter of the bank.

"Riddler," Batman said, voice low. Robin looked at the note that had been left and grabbed it off the counter while his partner dealt with the question obsessed freak.

"That'd be me," the Riddler replied, electric green eyes watched the man in black carefully, making sure to keep a good distance away from him. He noted offhandedly that Robin was the one going after his puzzle, as usual. Batman did the heavy lifting and his partner did the brain work. "I see you still can't solve the puzzles that I've laid out for you to solve. Something wrong with doing your own work, pretty boy?"

Batman looked confused for a moment as he noticed Robin was looking over the riddle that had seemingly left for the dynamic duo.

"But maybe, they're just too hard for you? Is that the real weakness of the great and mighty Batman?" the Riddler asked, tone acid as he noticed the Boy Wonder making some notes on one of the pads at the bank counter.

"I don't have times for your childish games, Riddler," Batman replied as he moved between Robin and the Riddler.

"Oh, my dear Batman, they are hardly childish. In fact, as your partner will have noticed, it's a matter of life ... and death for some very not childish people," Riddler retorted. "In fact, now that you've opened the puzzle, the game has already begun. You only have ten minutes to figure it out before the first person dies. And it will have been all your fault because you couldn't learn your lesson. And why is that? Why is it that you can't seem to learn the lesson I leave for you?"

"What do you mean, people will die? You've never take hostages before," Batman demanded, going to Robin and noting what the young man had written down.

"That is for me to understand and for you to attempt to figure out, but be warned, you have very little hope of ever accomplishing that if you can not think for yourself or learn the lessons that have been put before you time and time again. You sadden me with your lack of trying to learn. You claim to be the friend of justice and understanding but you can not even understand your own tasks," the Riddler commented as he picked his question mark headed staff back up. This one was longer than the usual, almost as tall as the lanky criminal himself at six feet tall, and two and a half inches around. It was a deep green with bright yellow question marks all up and down it. He spun it around himself, letting it fly around his body in a brilliant and defensive display before grabbing it again. "Or are you thinking of actually doing your own work for once?"

Robin smacked Batman on the bicep hard to gain his attention. "We have to save those people," the young superhero said quietly.

Riddler jumped up on the counter. "And for your final question... one of you will stay here with me, and the other will go into to rescue the hostages. One by one, they must be carried out, and only one of you may complete the task. Swift as the cheetah and strong as an ox. Which shall it be?"

"And what nefarious thing do you have planned for the one of us that stays behind with you?" Batman demanded.

"Nothing at all, but the pleasure of my company, and the knowledge that if you try anything your partner will die. See, in order for one of you to go in, the other must wear this," the Riddler held up a collar, it was three inches wide and big enough for either one of them to wear. "You'll get to hear the rules about it when you put it on. And believe me, there is a game. All dependent on your partner. So, the real question is... do you trust your partner? I will tell you this rule, you can not remove the collar from your partner's neck, only they can do that."

"I'll go," Batman said with a tone of finality. "I trust Robin to be able to get that collar off."

"I trust you, Batman," Robin said with a defiant look to the Riddler. "Go on, I'll be fine here."

"Glad to have you aboard, Little Birdie," Riddler replied with a gleeful cackle. "And remember you two can not try to help each other or the other will suffer a penalty." He waggled the pointer finger of his right hand at Batman. "Go on, Robin, come here."

Robin nodded to Batman in affirmation that he would be alright without him. Batman nodded back and headed towards the bank vault where the first riddle had mentioned the hostages were being held.

As soon as Batman was out of sight the Riddler made his way swiftly over to Robin. Without preamble he scooped the young boy onto the bank counter, collar looped over his own arm and stood between the teen's now spread legs. In another swift motion he latched the collar into place around the startled hero's neck with a resounding click.

"There we go, Little Birdie, now you are to figure out how to get this off without picking the lock on it," the Riddler said with a knowing smirk. "Yes, I know the both of you are ... apt to picking the locks to get out of tight situations. But while there is a lock you could pick, it will be a penalty. That penalty, and all the others like it are an electric shock to your system. Nothing fatal, but most assuredly uncomfortable. Unless of course one of you should try to blatantly break the rule and try to either harm my person or destroy the device you now wear."

"Great," Robin replied. "So, how can I get it off if I can't pick the lock?"

"Ah, always a smart boy, you really are the brains of the operation, aren't you?" Riddler said with a gleeful cackle, still situated between the boy's legs. "Riddles are the answer, but the real trick is your timing."

"Timing?" Robin asked, noting that the villain still had him in a compromising position. "Can you get out from between my legs? It's uncomfortable."

The green clad villain looked down and laughed again, eyes nearly glowing green. "Of course, my young friend." He took three steps back and nimbly lept onto the counter behind him.

"Okay, so, what do you mean by my timing has to be right?" Robin asked as he sat up and felt around the edges of the collar and noting where the lock was located. He carefully moved his hands away from it and noted that other than the lock it outside was smooth, without any notable etchings on it.

"You must answer all of my riddles in a set amount of time. There will be a round for each hostage that comes out, from the time the Batman comes out with one until the next one is brought out. You will have that amount of time to answer two riddles, and for each session you finish, one of the locks will release. But be warned, if the last hostage comes out and you have not finished with me, you will be stuck in the collar for a very long time. You will also suffer a terrible jolt as a penalty. I do believe your classmates would notice if you were missing, would they not?"

Robin growled slightly under his breath. He would have to be as quick witted as the Riddler in order to get out of this situation without harm.

"Oh, and one more thing, you can not tell Batman your rules. I will penalize you if you try. Keep that in mind as he moves people out of the safe. Timing is the key."

"Okay, shoot," Robin replied as he loosened his neck as much as the collar would allow. He watched the Riddler intently.

"No, not until the first one is free. Once they are outside your timer begins," the riddle obsessed man replied.

Robin sighed in frustration.

Several minutes passed in silence before the two saw Batman carrying a woman in his arms, legs and hands still bound. Over her mouth was a gag with a question mark on it with the number six on it.

"Are you alright, Robin?" Batman asked as he paused to check on his partner.

"Keep moving, Batman," Riddler snarled darkly.

"I'm fine. I've got my part under control," Robin replied with a thoughtful glance to the caped crusader.

"Good," Batman replied with a nod and hurried back into the vault.

"He's not very bright is he?" Riddler commented offhandedly. "I'm giving you a pass on that one. First question: what can you put in a barrel, it will make the barrel lighter and can be seen by the naked eye?"

"Pass?" Robin questioned quietly to himself, he shook his head and looked at the Riddler. This was an easy question. "A hole. Why is this so easy?"

"Because, it's voice activated," Riddler replied with a smirk. "Only you can get yourself out of that. I ask the riddles and you give the answers. Only correct answers will open it."

"Oh," Robin replied with a thoughtful glance at the villain before him.

"What is everything to one person, but worthless to everyone else?"

"Your mind."

"Good Birdie. What has four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon and three legs at night?"

"I know this one," Robin said looking thoughtful for a moment. "Man."

"Excellent," Riddler replied, there was a whirring noise inside the collar. "That was the first lock. Halfway to the second lock. What-" he stopped in the middle of his sentence, eyes wide as he saw Batman running with two of the hostages that were trying to scream at him through their gags that read two and four on them. The dark knight paid them no heed as he rushed out the door. "No. No. NO!"

"What?" Robin asked. He felt fear race up his spine as the Riddler gave him an apologetic look.

"I can not remove that collar until all of the passwords have been spoken and he's being stupid. I'm sorry birdie, you're going to feel a bit of pain in a moment. Know that it was not my intention."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked, feeling the anxiety race through his body at the truly remorseful look in the super villain's eyes. Riddler jumped down off his counter and stood next to the young man just a a large jolt of electricity surged through his body from the collar.

"I can't do anything about it. Once that collar is on I can only interrupt the shock once. I built in that safety feature in case you two stole my remote. Or hacked it remotely. I know how smart you can be, Little Birdie."

Just as Batman crossed the threshold the Riddler gave a sympathetic look to the young man as a jolt of electricity coursed through his body as the collar went off. Riddler caught the Boy Wonder as his spasming muscles knocked him off the counter and would have landed him face first into the marble.

"Okay, it would seem your partner would not be logical about this so I will have to give you the answers. You'll just have to repeat them. Alright? With the way he's going about this the next shock will be much worse than that one," Riddler's eyes shifted to a less vibrant green as his brow knitted. "He's taking all the fun out of my games."

Robin looked at him somewhat confused. "What do you mean?"

"He's taking them out of order, and he's not listened to a one of them. The next answer is my son."

"My son?" Robin parroted, there was a faint whirring noise.

Riddler looked relieved. "I'll tell you that riddle again someday. That was the second lock."

Batman went running by with the next two hostages, these two were numbers five and three. The quickly crossed the entrance while the hostages screamed at the caped hero through their gags. One of them was beating him on his back, which he just shrugged off. Robin felt another jolt pass through this body and he fell back into Riddler's waiting arms. His eyes became more electric green, the color bleeding quickly back into them as he watched the bat run by to get the last hostage.

"We're running out of time. 42. Home. Fox, grain, chicken," Riddler said urgently.

Robin's eyes were slightly glazed as he tried to pay attention. "Forty-two," he said in a slow tone. "Home. Fox, grain, chicken." Two more whirs and clicks where heard. Batman came back into view.

"You're an idiot!" Riddler snarled at Batman.

"I've got the last hostage, Riddler, you've lost," Batman replied, noting that Robin was currently laying against the villain. The final hostage had the number one on his gag and a sign that said 'Listen to Me' on his chest. He looked upset as he looked at Robin and the Riddler. "And when I'm done you'll have to answer for what you've done to my partner."

"No, you will have to answer for it," Riddler replied, tone dark and angry.

Batman shook his head and continued to the door.

"Quickly Robin, you only have two answers left. It's ..." he didn't get to finish as Batman made it through the door of the bank and a bigger and longer sustained jolt hit Robin's small frame and wracked it with spasms. The villain gently held the young man and shook his head. He pulled his staff to him and tapped a few buttons. A small vial of ointment popped out of the side and he picked it up, still cradling the now still body. "Last two answers are not a box, and a match."

"Not a box," Robin mumbled, almost incoherent with the pain. Batman came back into view. "A ... match." The final whirs and clicks were heard and the collar fell off of Robin's neck. There were red marks that looked very sore and angry. The Riddler swiftly popped the cork of the vial and poured the contents onto his fingers and gently spread it across the burn marks. The green clad super villain carefully wrapped the young man into his own cape to help keep him warm as he re-capped the tube and tucked it into his utility belt.

"What have you done, Riddler?" Batman demanded as he shoved the red head away from his stricken partner.

"It's what you have done. By blatantly ignoring the instructions that were left with the hostages. I told you to be observant. I left easy instructions. You just did what you always do and just bowled in and didn't think. You did not contemplate questioning nor ungagging any of them. You did not ask if Robin needed more time. You took the hostages out of numerical order even though you know my habits and my way of thinking. You never once asked your partner was okay after your first question. And while; yes, he couldn't tell you his rules, he could have asked you to slow down. You instead bowled in and claimed that you trust your partner. At the same time you made no attempt to see if you could aid him, nor if you had any instructions. Even the hostages were trying to tell you what was going on. You are an ignorant, self absorbed, arrogant, thoughtless, uncouth, disorganized, idiotic, chauvinistic, imitation of a flying nocturnal mammal" the Riddler screamed at him as he swung his staff at him with every word, staff hitting on every other strike. He twirled the staff around his head, taking an almost defensive position between Robin and Batman. His breath came in slight pants as he finished, staring at the man in front of him with an air of frustration.

"What do you mean?" Batman demanded as he grabbed the staff and held it still.

The Riddler jerked at the staff, attempting to free it from the strong grip. "You betrayed his trust in you. He trusted you to keep your wits about you. You merely did what it is you always do and went bowling in without thought or consideration. Did you ever once realize there may be a lesson to be learned in all of this? That I might be trying to teach you a valuable lesson here?"

"Why would you be trying to help us?" Batman asked, taken aback and loosening his grip enough for Riddler to pull his staff back to himself.

"Because I want a good challenge for myself, and maybe I have ... other reasons," Riddler replied with a thoughtful glance at Robin. "But my reasons are my own, and as such you may try to divine my purpose. I will not tell you the answer to that particular riddle." He tipped his bowler hat to the man in black. "Take care of him."

"What do you mean by-?" Batman looked down to tend to Robin and when he looked back up, Riddler was gone. Just a note with a question mark on the front of it and the name Robin in neat handwriting on the front.

"Batman?" Robin questioned weakly as he looked around blurrily.

Batman knelt down and gently picked the young man up. "I'm here partner. You're going to be okay."

"Riddler?" he asked, eyes glazed slightly with suppressed pain.

"He's gone, you're safe now," Batman replied.

Robin closed his eyes in defeat and flipped of the dark knight as he passed out. Batman gave the young man a confused look at he took him back to the bat cave where Alfred was waiting for the two of them to return. Alfred chastised Bruce as soon as Richard was seen to and comfortably in bed with food, drink, and his not from the Riddler. Robin refused to speak with Batman for nearly a month. The note from the Riddler simply stated: 'You are the most brilliant young man I have ever met. I hope we meet again in the near future.'

Several years later . . .

Richard Grayson and Edward Nygma became good friends, more so as the young man began growing into his teens and headed into adulthood. Edward continued giving the young man tutoring session three times a week as need at the Sunshine Cafe across from Wayne Enterprises. Edward continued to have issues with his boss, Mr. Staeman and a new one that he been appointed over the management of the Research and Development teams, Mr. Stickly.

"Hey, Ed, how's it going?" Richard said as he sauntered into Ed's cubicle noting the researcher's jacket was hung in it's customary place on the green skeleton in the right-hand corner of the high walled cubicle. Random pictures decorated the walls, some of Bruce Wayne and what his company had done for people and some of Richard at the circus or the two of them hanging out. There were a few pictures of the Riddler as well, though they did not feature very often. Richard had once asked Ed what it was about the Riddler that drew the researcher to the villain. He had yet to get a reply out of the man, but he was hoping that he'd be able to get it today. He had leverage today.

"Oh, Ri!" Ed exclaimed as he spun around in his chair fast enough to make two rotations before he stopped. "I didn't even know you'd be coming by today! Isn't it Saturday?" the redhead asked as he looked outside and then to his watch with his head cocked at a questioning angle.

"It is, Ed, and I knew you'd be here," Richard replied, trying and failing to hide the smile on his face.

"What has you in such high spirits? Don't you usually hate having to come here on the weekends?" Ed asked, noting that even though it wasn't a school day the young man had his backpack with him.

"I do, but that's 'cause I'm usually being dragged here by Bruce against my will. This time I came here of my own volition."

"Whatever for?"

"You."

Ed stared at the young man and the simple answer. "Why would you come here on the weekend for me? Do you have a big test on Monday that you need additional study time for? Or is it time for the SATs already? I can't ever seem to keep track of those..." he trailed off as he noticed the young man was laughing at him.

"Do you even know what today is?" Richard asked, barely holding back the loudest laughs.

"Saturday. I have a project that I was working on yesterday and I haven't quite managed to get it right. I thought I'd have the building to myself today but it's always a happy circumstance when I get to spend time with you."

"Not that you silly man. It's your birthday!" Richard replied with and exasperated eye roll to the hunched man in front of him.

"It can't be that's not for another..." he spun around and checked the green puzzle filled clock on his desk. "Oh, so it is." The researcher gave a self-depreciating laugh to himself and shook his head.

"Yes, and I've come to steal you away. Is that okay with you?" Richard asked, giving his best puppy eyes to the other man, knowing the power of that look would render the scientist helpless but to go along with the plan.

"But, Ri," Ed tried to protest, looking away from the adorable pleading looking he was being given. "I really should try to get the project finished..."

"You have more vacation time than anyone at Wayne Enterprises. ANYONE. You never take a day off. Can't you spend one of your regular days off with your friend on your birthday? When he went through all the trouble of ditching everyone?" Richard turned up the power of his cute face. He could tell that Ed was going to crack at any moment. He just had to keep up the face a little bit longer.

"Oh, I suppose I could spare it today. And if I'm really raring to go I can work on it tomorrow," Ed conceded with a nod to the young man. He quickly typed a few commands into the three keyboards at his desk, saving his work and shutting the electronics down. A few moments later and silence filled the cubicle. "There, just let me grab my coat and bag and we can go."

"That's actually part of your gift. I've been working with Bruce for a while and well," Richard reached into his bag and pulled out a green wrapped gift.

Ed hesitantly took the package in his hands. "You didn't have to ..." He looked at the package as though it was going to reach up and eat him.

"If I had to then it wouldn't be a present. It would be a repayment," Richard replied with a laugh at the look on Edward's face. "Open it."

"Okay," Ed replied with a hesitant smile. He slowly tore at the paper and revealed a box for a helmet. "You got me a new helmet? Thank you, Ri." The helmet displayed on the box was a simple black half helmet.

"Finish opening it, you dork fish," Richard encouraged. He nudged the lanky man's shoulder playfully.

"Dork. Dork," Ed replied in his deepest and most unusual tone of voice. He opened the box and gave a brilliant and happy smile as he pulled out an electric green helmet with a dark green trim along the bottom edge. Ed's face lit up as he fell completely silent.

"Do you like it?" Richard asked as he looked to the ground, not able to meet the gray-green gaze of his friend. He nervously toed the floor around his feet as he shifted uncomfortably, unable to make eye contact.

"I love it. I'll use it when I finally get a new scooter," Ed replied as he lifted Richard's chin to make him look him in the eye. He quickly have the young man a hug, crushing the smaller man in a grateful hug.

"That's the other thing," Richard replied nervously, and refused to make eye contact again. "Would you mind walking with me to the garage? That way we can go to lunch together."

"Sure, I'd be happy to go with you, after all ... you said you wanted to kidnap me today." Ed replied with a laugh. He grabbed his backpack, jacket and new helmet and looked at Richard expectantly.

"Right, shall I lead the way to the parking garage that you've been using longer than I have?" Richard asked in a sardonic tone, giving Ed an amused look. He turned around, determined to make it away from Ed's cubicle before the man could decide he just had to do one more thing. Richard grabbed the man's hand and began dragging him away from his cubicle as he began to try and say something as he reached for his desk.

"Okay, but can't I …" Ed began as he reached for the desk.

"No, we're leaving for now. You can come back and fix whatever it is that you think you need to fix later. Like tomorrow," Richard said sternly as he pulled the researcher along behind him trying to make sure he didn't escape his grasp.

"Oh, alright. It's not as though I'm likely to forget what it was I was working on," Ed finally replied with a shrug as he willingly followed his young friend with a soft smile that was rarely seen on the man's face when he was with another person.

"Good, I wanna show you something," Richard replied as he loosened his grip but refused to let go for fear the man would still run back to his desk. He shook his head at the thought Ed might actually be addicted to his work. The man had a terrible habit of staying late and even sleeping at, on, or under his desk during particularly long assignments for his research.

"So, what is this other thing you want to show me?" Ed asked. He hid the smile slightly as he followed the young man before him.

"You'll just have to wait and see," Richard replied with a coy look over his shoulder. He gave a faint knowing smile and hurried up to the point he was dragging the taller man slightly. Ed indulged him by lengthening his stride to keep up with the excitable young man.

The pair quickly made their way to the parking garage. Richard had purposefully parked away from the other vehicles to hide the final surprise he had hidden for Edward Nygma.

Ed was too busy watching his friend to notice what they had walked up to.

"So, what do you think, Eddie?" Richard asked quietly.

"About what?" Ed asked innocently. He looked up and was greeted with an unexpected sight. Before him was a brand new, shiny, tri-shaded green scooter. The latest model and very fast, not to mention it looked like it had been slightly modified for someone with a taller frame than the average scooter rider.

"What is that?" Ed asked dumbly. His mind refused to comprehend what was placed before him. His old scooter had been run over by one of Gotham's many over weighted garbage trucks while it was fleeing one of the many villains that frequented the city. He had been parked on the side of the road and during the chaos it had been knocked over and then promptly destroyed by the fleeing vechile. Ed had been taking public transportation since the incident since he neither had the money to fix his old scooter nor get a new one.

"I know that you prefer scooters to motorcycles, though for what reason I've never been able to tell. This one should fit you a little better than the last one you had. I know about the incident a few weeks ago. I asked Bruce if we could order in the parts to get you a new one built. He and Alfred found them dirt cheap and I finished putting the whole thing together in time to paint it and have it ready for your birthday. I felt so bad for you and you've helped me out so much with my schooling and being a great listener for me since I was young, I just had to do this for you," Richard replied quickly, noting that even though Ed loved it, he was going to try and protest against the young man doing so much for him.

"But you can't," Ed tried. His voice failed him as he looked over the beautiful craftsmanship of the scooter before him. The greens faded in and out of each other from the front to the back and in swirling patterns all over the surface. The seat and handle bars were a deep green that was nearly black.

"I can and I did. It's not going to fix anyone else as well as it will fit you. You've ridden with me so many times I know how you balance, how you like to ride, and how long your limbs are," Richard replied in a tone that brooked no argument. "Just sit on it, if you don't like it … I guess I can see if I can sell it. No one at Wayne manner would ride it. It wouldn't fit. Bruce might be able to sit on it and fit, but the reach would be uncomfortable and he doesn't like 'two wheeled transportation' anyway."

Ed took another halting step towards the scooter, looking back to Richard like a child that would be scolded as soon as he touched the shiny new toy.

"Don't worry, I doubt you could break it just by sitting on it. Alfred and I tested it extensively. It has very nice, brand-new shocks on it," Richard added for support.

Ed quickly strapped his helmet on and wiped his palms on his pants as he felt his nerves alight with nervous tension. He carefully straddled the powerful machine and brought it down off it's kickstand with a nervous and mildly unconscious movement of his legs. He felt the spacing of the handlebars and the way his spine curved as he leaned slightly forward to grip them. He had no need for slouching with this particular machine, his legs hit the ground minimal leg bending. He gave a huge smile to Richard.

"Ri, it's … perfect," Ed smiled.

"Here, start her up and let me know what you think. She's a little more powerful than a regular scooter but less powerful than a motorcycle. She also has an increased gas tank size and a big enough trunk for you to store your helmet in if you'd like. Also the rack on the back is made from that tritanium you've been working on here, as well as having the whole frame re-enforced with it. Call it a practical application for it. It's very strong and lightweight. If performs as well as I hope, we can bump your project up to the finished line with only minor application notes needed." Richard tossed him the keys to hide the slight blush that had crept onto his face as he spoke of the researcher's work.

"That's amazing. How did you manage to get enough to accentuate the scooter with it?" Ed asked as the caught the keys and wisely ignored the fact that Richard was blushing, he figured against making the young man anymore uncomfortable than he already was.

"I talked to the rest of your team. Seems they thought you should have been running tests like this weeks ago, but your boss Staeman thought you didn't have all of the information and he was being a general pain in the ass just because it's your project Eddie! It's just not fair! Why is he such an ..." Richard took a short breath to calm himself and looked at Ed again, noting the slightly pained expression in the other man's eyes. "Why is that guy such a toad to you? What did you ever do to him?"

"He doesn't like people that are far smarter than him. He knows that if I really wanted to, I could have his job. But I don't want the stress. I want to be able to create new things and help people and improve their lives. I don't want to be stuck so far into the knot of bureaucracy that I'll never create another new thing for humanity again. I would have no time for myself if I had his job. And I'd also loose my sunny disposition. Management is something that I've done in the past and never want to repeat again." Ed's eyes grew distant for a few moments before he came back to himself. "But never mind that! Where are we going for lunch?"

"Oh, well, I found this really cool restaurant on the other side of Gotham ..." Richard began.

A few months later …

He had laughed to himself as he carefully placed the note in a place only Robin would find. Only the acrobatic partner of Batman himself would find this note. And that was the point, wasn't it? To lure Robin; the Boy Wonder, into a meeting with the Riddler.

Ed sighed slightly as he readjusted himself in his hiding place on top of the building. He had carefully chosen this spot to shield himself from view but it also had another advantage as the Gotham weather pulled it's usual and began to rain. He was sheltered from the pounding and freezing cold rain. Spring time in Gotham was always cold, only the summers ever held any real warmth and those didn't last that long. He shivered as a cold wind hit him and actually hoped that his young target would be wise enough to keep himself well protected.

The lithe and graceful young man landed on the Gotham Bank with a soft thud. He looked around, trying to spot the villain before he says anything.

Ed's mood shifts and he unfurls himself from his hiding place in the shadows. "Birdie," he says smoothly, noting the way Robin stiffens for a moment in his surprise. He gives an unhinged smile, knowing that it unnerves the young man before him but unable; and unwilling, to stop himself from doing so. He hummed a tune to himself, not truly consciously aware that he is doing so as he thinks of all the things he wishes he could do … and know that he can not do any of them. He stands up to his full height of six feet and eight inches, brushing his clothes out.

"Why did you send me this?" Robin demanded as he held up the folded note the Riddler had delivered no more than twenty minutes before the young man had picked it up.

"Ah, I so _love_ when you ask questions, Birdie," Ed replied, grinning more and still unaware of his humming.

"Stop calling me that and answer," Robin demands, looking away for a few moments, unable to keep the gaze.

The Riddler tipped his top hat and hid his eyes from the young man, knowing that his gaze when he was like this could be unnerving. His eyes turned an even more vibrant and unnatural green as he smiled further, knowing that Robin would be patient enough to listen to what he had to say, even if it took a few minutes to get to that.

"You know all the answers. You're smarter than him," Ed stated simply. He darted a glance at the young man, noting his shock. He felt pride for the young super hero he had been training and helping to develop into the man he was, he couldn't actually directly involve himself but he left clues. He forced the young man to think outside the box.

A lesson he had given up on with the caped crusader after the … incident at the Gotham bank with the collar.

The fool.

He shook himself and looked to Robin again. 'Good, he didn't notice I fazed out for a moment,' Ed thought to himself.

He smiled in a more unhinged manner, knowing that Robin knew the man of who he made a vague reference of. He played with his cane absentmindedly.

"So you want to help, why tell me and not the Commissioner? If you told him you'd probably earn immunity for at least some of your past crimes … unless it's redemption you're seeking. If you're seeking redemption through helping my presumption is that this has to deal with the Joker. So you're going to tell me what he has planned so I can warn Batman and anyone else who may need to know. Then you'll stay under the radar unless the mood strikes you or you can't just stand by for a specified occurrence. Then when that time comes you'll send em some kind of cryptic message that will only make sense to me because you feel I am one of the only people close to understanding your superior intellect."

The Riddler chuckled darkly, doing a mental cheer and giving an almost imperceptible nod.

"So I'm right," Robin replied, looking more confident.

"Yes," the Riddler purred to him, taking a tiny step forward and causing the young man to take an involuntary step back. "You are absolutely correct. And a question for _you_, Little Birdie ..."

"Wh-what is it?" Robin asked, his voice shook ever-so slightly in his mild uncertainty.

"What do you think of me? You're so … _timid_ … without the Bat around. Is it just me or are you really so helpless without that brute telling you exactly what to think and do?" the Riddler asked, his voice became a little harsher than he had intended. He felt anger at the way Batman treated his partner. His very intelligent partner.

"It's not like that. And I think you're a freak who wants to look like some messed up, Goth Mad Hatter-" Robin snipped out with a growl, but was cut off.

Before the young man has a chance to register what was happening he had knocked him onto the rooftop. The boy under him gasped as his back came into startling contact with the tiled and freezing roof. He used the advantage of leverage to hold the boy in place as he took both of the the Boy Wonder's wrists into one of his hands above his head.

"Mad Hatter, you … riddle me this, Birdie … Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

"I … I don't know," Robin replied with wide eyes in surprise.

The Riddler snickered out loud. "Honestly … neither do I."

"Let me go," Robin demanded.

The Riddler tilted his head to the side for a moment as he contemplated the idea. "Are you afraid, Little Birdie?" he asked as he tilted his head in the other direction.

"This isn't funny," Robin demanded hotly.

"I wasn't laughing," Riddler replied simply, no hint of laughter remained in his voice.

"I mean it, let go of me or el-"

"Or else what? You told _no one_ where you were going," the Riddler interrupted as his temper flared a moment. He took a shuddering breath before he did anything he would later regret.

"How do you know!" Robin demanded.

"Other than I was waiting for you next to that gargoyle over there for a long time and watched you from the moment you got here … because I told you not to. And you enjoy listening to me," the Riddler replied with a self-satisfied smirk. He felt a flush of pride at the fact he was right and could see it in the emerald eyes before him.

"No I don't," came the weak and reflexive reply.

"Yes, yes you do," the Riddler replied as he closed the distance between the two of them to catch the plump and tempting lips that were so close to his own. He kissed the teen harshly for a few moments before the released his mouth with a smile that is purely predatory.

"K-knock it off," Robin stuttered, unaware that his now kiss-swollen lips presented an even more tempting target, but the Riddler managed to reign that in for a few more seconds.

Heeding the hero under him, he tilted his head to the side and feasted his mouth on the long neck. He sucked and bit, drawing a bit of blood before he soothed the hurt with his tounge, knowing the effect it would have. He purred to himself as he heard the delicate gasp beneath him as he did not kiss the young man again, but instead allowed his free hand to roam across the body underneath him.

As he felt his message was clear, the Riddler abruptly removed himself from Robin. He stroked one pale and lightly flushed cheek and laughed a little as the simple action caused the boy to nearly fall over himself to create some distance between the two of them.

"Your eyes are so beautiful … like emeralds. They're even more so when you're excited," the Riddler said as he gazed into the beautiful eyes, noting that his unwilling partner is half-hard even through the cold and his costume.

He readjusted himself and began humming again as he handed over the new note. He leaned over, displaying himself for the boy in an unobtrusive way as he grabbed his cane again and tipped his hat. With a final smile he melted back into the shadows, efficiently enough to make Batman himself proud. From the shadows he watched the young man look around in shocked amazement before dashing off to his hideout again.

Ed sat at a sewing machine, not quite sure why he felt the urge to make a new costume for his infrequent, nighttime adventures. He laughed to himself; the sound highly unhinged as he added a bag of sequins next to him. He planned on making a new suit for the Riddler but he wasn't sure where he was planning on going with with particular design. He just knew it was going to be flashy, and it was going to have question marks on it. He nodded to himself as he finished with the last seam and picked up a needle and bright green thread and began sewing the shiny green sequins onto the coat.

"At least my latest weapon design is coming along, and the tritanium is making it light enough for me to wield it efficiently," Ed muttered to himself as he looked over to the unpainted staff that was leaning against one wall of his workspace. "I need to get more space for this hideout..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A few weeks later ...

Edward Nygma had been working long hours in his cubicle and sleeping in his chair, or under the desk in his sleeping bag. He kicked his pillow further under the desk as he continued typing out his current calculations as he heard a set of lightweight footsteps coming towards his desk.

"Eddie?" came the slightly tentative call from around the high walls of the cubicle.

Edward rolled his chair backwards enough to pop his head around the corner of his walls to meet Richard's gaze. "Hi, Ri! Come on in!" Ed said with a brilliant smile, happy to see his young friend. He noted the shy smile for the nickname only the researcher used for him.

"So how was the test?" Eddie asked as Richard flopped into one of the spare chairs in Ed's cubicle. Edward spun around and typed out a few more quick notations before he closed the program so he could turn his full attention to his guest.

Richard groaned as he noted the question from the researcher, and shook his head and gave the older man the thumbs-down signal.

"Ouch. That bad?" Ed asked.

Richard rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I got a D."

"Ooh. Does your Dad know?" Ed asked with an arched eyebrow as he reached into the bottom drawer of his main desk and pulled out a candy bar. He tossed to to the tired boy who accepted it gratefully.

"Tch," Richard responded with an uncomfortable look. "Come on Eddie. You know Bruce isn't my Dad. And no, he doesn't know yet, thought I'd tel Al first."

Ed shook his head with a sad and knowing look. "That might be the best idea, and I know you don't see Bruce as your Dad, but he did legally adopt you. Cut the guy some slack, I know he's abrasive and a little egotistical; however he does care about you."

Richard stared at Ed for a few moments, and felt he heat rush to his face. Ed watched the young man and felt a similar flush reach his own pale cheeks. He knew this young man was special, and highly intelligent. He just didn't know why his admiration for the young man was turning into ... more than just simple admiration. He shook his head and carefully schooled his features as he noticed the object of his fascination was focusing on him again.

"You're right ... oh! And I'm really sorry about not coming last night, I um..." Richard began, looking uncomfortable again. "I kind of got caught up."

Ed felt a shift in his expression, his anger rose a bit as his eyes shifted colors for a split second before he shook himself free of the feeling.

Edward gave a laugh and twirled off his lab coat, and spun it so that it was perfectly situated on the green skeleton in the corner. Without missing a beat he swiftly grabbed his regular leather bomber jacket and slipped it on and in the same smooth motion he ruffled Richard's hair affectionately to hide his unhappy expression as memories flooded his mind for a moment.

"Tomorrow afternoon," Richard replied as he tried to fix his hair.

Ed smirked and rolled his shoulders and motioned for the teen to follow him. "Well let's get lunch. I can get you caught up and order you something with garlic," he said with a knowing look the the deeply colored mark on the young man's neck.

"Garlic?" the sophomore replied with momentary confusion. A moment later his hand flew to cover the mark without any conscious effort on his part. "Oh."

"Yeah, to help ward off whatever vampire you managed to come in contact with last night," Ed said with a laugh, trying to avoid meeting his eyes. He watched as several emotions flew through the young man's eyes and he fell silent. "Ri? Are you okay?"

Richard seemed to snap back to himself at the concerned tone in the older man's voice. "Of course. Sorry, still upset about the test I guess."

"Well no worries. Want to go to the cafe across the street? I don't think you want to chance Bruce seeing you right now, right Van Helsing?" Ed asked with a snicker.

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea," Richard said as he rolled his eyes at his friend and grabbed his backpack with an exasperated sigh.

The two left the research wing in companionable silence, making their way to the restaurant in question. Both men were lost in their own little worlds, Ed looked to his young charge once in a while. He tried to school himself but he knew his expression showed something, even if it wasn't the worry about discovery and rejection he was feeling. He tried to change his expression to one that was a little more blank so as to not startle his young companion.

The sound of soft chimes as Edward pushed his way through the door of the cafe announced their arrival. Richard followed close behind, causing a smile to spread across Ed's face at his living shadow. Going along with their usual routine the two head to their usual lunch study spot. Richard went ahead to set out what the two would need while Ed made their order.

Edward's head whipped around, his head cocked at an unusual angle as he listened to both the waitress confirming their order and the sophomore's unconscious humming. He quickly picked up what the tune was and stored the information as he paid for their lunches and let the kind woman behind the counter know that she had the order right, of course. She had never messed up there order in the two years the pair had been coming by the all night restaurant for their study sessions.

"You never struck me as an Alice Cooper fan," Eddie said as he came back within easy earshot of the table.

"Um, no I heard a tune somewhere and I was just trying to figure out what it is," Richard replied with a disarming smile.

Edward knew better. He knew exactly where the teen had picked up the song and tried to keep his face neutral about his knowledge. Eddie smiled as he took his seat and continued, "Well, I'm fairly certain that was Alice Cooper you were humming there. From what I can tell you have a great voice too." Ed added the last part as a truth and to see the young man's reaction to his compliment.

"Thanks, I think. You never struck me as an Alice Cooper fan either," Richard replied and murmured a grateful thank you as he started in on his French dip. He paused momentarily to indulge his curiosity. "What song is it?"

"Poison," Ed replied, taken slightly aback by the lack of knowledge. He took a sip of coffee. "Haven't heard it in a while, but Alice Cooper's music isn't something that can be easily forgotten when heard, and you were humming on of the more … interesting verses." He shook his head and added more sugar to the black coffee. He took another sip and nodded in satisfaction.

"Interesting verse, what's so interesting about it?" Richard asked, and the scientist noted that wasn't the first thing that ran through those emerald green eyes.

Edward's thoughts shifted around as he dredged up the memory. "If I'm right, word for word it's:

'I hear you calling and it's needles and pins,

'I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name,

'Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin,

'I want to kiss you but your lips are venomous poison,

'You're poison runnin' thru my veins, You're poison,

'I don't want to break these chains."

Both of them were startled by the sound of breaking wood as the acrobat broke his pencil in several places. The two of them looked at the pencil for a moment. "Oh."

Eddie tilted his head to the side, cocking an eyebrow innocently. "That was an awfully violent reaction for a simple song."

"I didn't hear it under the best of circumstances," Richard replied, his eyes grew wide as he realized what he had said unthinkingly. Ed's eyes flashed again, the strange green moving through them for the briefest moment.

"Ri, do you just want to relax and eat? I don't know what has you so flustered but you've been really upset this entire time. It's not good to be so high strung; it will interfere with your makeup test," Eddie said calmly, but giving Richard a worried look as he gently touched the back of the teen's hand.

Richard made no attempt to stop the contact and Ed gave a happy smile at that.

"More importantly, I worry about you. You seem to be around shady people lately," Eddie said, pressing his hand gently to offer comfort. Ed withdrew as the bell at the front of the cafe alerts them to a new person entering. He didn't want to make his friend uncomfortable. As a unit the two looked up as footsteps approached them.

"Doctor Crane," Edward greeted, though there was none of the usual warmth in his voice. In fact, there was a hint of loathing and disdain, hostile in it's neutrality. "What brings you here today?" he asked, trying to sound cordial but really wanting nothing more than for the irritating psychiatrist to leave the two of them alone. He bristled at the look Johnathan Crane gave the two of them.

"Well Edward," Jonathan began, adjusting his glasses with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Other than the requirement of food I need to speak with you."

"With me?" Ed questioned with a dark chuckle as his eyes bled to electric green. "I am a bit busy at the current moment," he said with a dark look and a half gesture to Richard and the books strewn about the table. He pulled Jonathan's attention back to himself with a small hand motion.

"You have very pretty eyes, Mr …?" Jonathan said with an oily tone.

Ed's eyes flashed a brighter color as he growled under his breath.

"Grayson," the young raven haired creature shifted uncertainly but held his ground against the psychological assault. "Richard Grayson."

Ed gave a mental cheer as he noticed Richard's refusal to back down from the creepy psychiatrist.

"Interesting," Jonathan said out loud, his curiosity piqued and moved his face to be mere inches away. "Eyes that deep of a green are very rare indeed, and you have such … exquisite skin. Quite pale, very becoming of your hair and eye color."

Eddie growled again as he saw Richard back his way to the far edge of the booth as far away from Crane as possible. The researcher whipped out a section of the newspaper and moved it so fast it cracked less that half an inch from the psychiatrist's face. "Sudoku, Jonathan?"

The brunette moved back from the irritated red-head as he took the puzzle with a calm glance to the now green eyed man. "Thank you, Edward. I'll go wait at another table and do this while you finish your conversation with your _young friend _here." And with that Jonathan got up but not before leaning close to Richard and whispering a warning into his ear. "Be careful, a looker like you could be the subject of some very aggressive affection."

"That's enough, Crane," Edward snapped as his hand hit the table, his voice a frozen wasteland. Richard jumped slightly at the hand slamming down on the table, but Ed kept his attention on the psychiatrist. Jonathan snickered at the pair as he walked away to sit at the far end of the cafe.

"Ri..." Eddie said, voice softening and eyes bleeding back to their usual gray-green color. "Are you alright?"

Richard gave a tiny nod, eyes wide. It was obvious the teen was traumatized by what had just taken place but Ed didn't have time to explain.

"I'm really sorry you had to be subjected to him, Crane's a psychiatrist. He's obsessed with phobias unfortunately and lately has taken to this really nasty habit of wanting to find out everyone's; I'm sorry if he scared you," Eddie said, with a brief glare to the other table.

"You don't have to apologize. It's okay," Richard replied as he played with the lid of his water bottle with a slight shrug. Ed noted the behavior but decided against mentioning in case the nut-job waiting for him was listening.

"Okay, well I'm going to go deal with him; I'll be right back, promise," Eddie said quietly with a gentle brush to Richard's cheek in a comforting manner.

Ed noted that Richard had taken out his phone and was text-ing on it, but he dismissed it as just one of his friends. He nodded to Jonathan as he sat down, trusting the young man to be able to take care of himself. He turned his attention back to Doctor Crane.

"What did you want, Jonathan?" Ed demanded, eyes shifting slightly to the greener side. He was highly suspicious of the other man's motives.

"I merely wish to ask you a question. Would you mind following me outside for a moment?" Jonathan asked cordially with a nod to the researcher.

"If you promise to leave Richard alone for now," Edward replied. He looked to Richard and noticed the teen seemed busy with his phone.

"I will. For now," Jonathan agreed. He stood and let Ed outside and around the corner of the building.

"What do you want?" Ed demanded as soon as they were out of sight.

"Well, Riddler," Jonathan taunted. "We need your help. Joker only has a vague recollection of asking for you. I need your mind for the time being."

"I'm not up for playing games, Scarecrow," Ed snarled as his eyes flashed electric green. "You want me to hack something, fine. I'm not going on any misadventures with you and the demented clown. I have very little patience for either of you."

"Relax, we only need your programing skills for a little task. We need to hack into a database. And that's all you need to know," Crane replied.

"Fine, but don't think I will do this very often for you. It's only because you helped me out recently that I'm even entertaining the idea for even the shortest amount of time. Hacking is not my style and you know that," Ed replied.

"Oh, and Joker has one more thing for you, a transaction," Crane said.

"Fine, but Robin is mine," Ed countered. "And tell the maniac that. And make sure he understands."

"Very well, I should let you get back to your … meal," Crane replied with a knowing smirk.

"Freak," Ed muttered under his breath as his eyes bled back to their normal color. He hated dealing the the phobia obsessed lunatic. He made his way back to the diner only to see Richard packing up his stuff to leave. He made his way over to the young man and loomed over him.

"Eddie? What the heck, I thought you -" Richard began.

"Ri? What's wrong? You're leaving?" Ed asked, confused. He cocked his head slightly as he watched as his friend finished packing up.

"Yeah, I need to go take care of some things. Sorry to run out on you like this. Thanks again for lunch," Richard said, he flinched as Eddie grabbed his wrist to stop him from making it away. "Eddie?" he asked with concern.

Edward knew his eyes had shifted again, only this time bleeding to a blue-ish color. "I-I just..." his gaze feel to where their hands were linked together and his slowly tightening grip. With effort he managed to let go. "Just be careful."

"Yeah, of course. Later, Eddie," Richard said just before he disappeared out the door, leaving Ed feeling all alone.

He watched as Richard left the cafe and sat back down at the table. The remains of their lunch sat on the table, forgotten in Ed's disappointment.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ed paced back and forth before getting on his suit. He sighed as he heard a knock on his door, he knew it was Jonathan wanting the hacking program he had developed that afternoon but he couldn't bring himself to be alright with delivering it to the man.

"Edward, I know you are home. Will you please come and answer the door for your friend?" Jonathan's oily voice called through the door.

Ed rolled his eyes and came to the door, noting that Jonathan was alone, he let the man in. "You are not my friend," Ed countered, eyes shifting already.

"Ah, is that anyway to treat me?" Jonathan asked, he was wearing a strange brown tweed suit.

"Yes, you manipulative bastard. Now here's the program you wanted. Get out," Ed growled as he thrust the disc into the other man's hands. "I have to go meet the cackling idiot before he does anything too extreme. If you want this to go off without a hitch then you will let me finish getting ready."

"Very well," Jonathan replied and tipped an imaginary hat to Ed as he held up the disc. "Thanks again, and have … fun tonight with Joker."

Ed gave the man a nervous look but quickly schooled his expression before the other could read too much into it. He nodded and slammed the door shut. "Freak," Ed muttered to himself as he donned his sequined question-mark jacket and his similarly decorated top hat.

A few hours later …

Ed was grinning at the bank manager he had already tied up and gagged. "Now then, when the Boy Wonder get's here you are to act as though everything is normal." He paused and laughed darkly to himself. "Well, normal for a robbery. Do as he asks of you and don't scream under any circumstances, you wouldn't want my associate to come and investigate would you?"

The manager shook his head, eyes wide with terror.

"Good, if all goes well you'll merely be late for supper." With a flourish of his staff the Riddler leaped nimbly over the counter to check on the security guards that Joker was supposed to be taking care of without killing them. The maniac had already killed one of them, lucky for the rest of the guards Riddler had been able to stop him from killing the rest of them, though he knew the other villain was not pleased with the result.

As if on cue he hear one of the doors behind him click shut with a barely audible sound.

"Hang tight my good man, your rescuer has arrived," the Riddler said as he crouched over the man.

"Riddler," Robin called in a challenging tone as he landed on the edge counter.

Ed's head rose as he turned to look at his adversary, a slow smile spread across his face. "Birdie, how good of you to come. I was hoping I would get to see you."

Robin gripped the counter tightly, a slight shiver went through the slight frame. "What are you planning?"

The Riddler smirked again and drew himself back up to his full height and brushed his clothes off with a barely perceptible motion. "Care for a riddle, Little Birdie?"

"I'm not playing games with you, so-" Robin began but was interrupted by piercing, hysterical laughter. "Advisor, Batman … the Joker's here too."

Ed cringed as the laughter rang out and his eye twitched.

"Well if it isn't bird boy! Riddles, didn't I tell you to keep your boyfriend at home?" Joker taunted as he came into the light.

Robin opened his mouth to protest and the Riddler knew it would only fuel the fire. "Ah-ah, can't protest what I saw ..." Joker taunted again. "You want it like a little whore!" Joker sing-songed.

The Riddler bristled at the accusation, ready to beat the maniac and test the strength of his newly made staff. He took a breath and calmed himself as he turned to the other villain slowly. "That's enough, I did what you asked."

Joker ignored the green-eyed villain as though he weren't even in the room and ran at Robin. The young acrobat tried to leap out of the way but was a fraction of a second too late in his maneuver thanks to the unexpected nature of the Joker. "Oooh, a little slow today bird boy!"

Robin glared at the psychotic clown as he tried to regain his breath. The Riddler watched, hand tightening on his staff.

"So," Joker said as he leaned in close to emphasize his point with the quiet sound of a switchblade coming free from it's resting place. "Where's Batsy hiding anyways?"

"He's on the way," Robin replied with more confidence than most would have if they had a blade pressed to their face.

"On the way?" Joker parroted as he twirled away. "You hear that, Rubik cube, he's on the way."

The Riddler felt severe unease as his fellow villain made his way behind him but made no move to stop him.

"By the way, Riddles, I don't appreciate you telling your little boy toy my plan!" Joker snarled and moved in the blink of an eye. He wrapped what seemed to be a piano wire around the Riddler's neck, causing the green-clad villain to drop his staff and try to keep himself from being choked. The Riddler tried to fight back but only managed to piss of the crazy man, and received a kick to the spine as his height difference was removed.

Robin quickly moved in and punched Joker in the face before he dropped to his knees to help keep him from being choked to death. He tried to get the wire off but only succeeded in getting his own fingers stuck under the wire. The Riddler tried to give the young man a grateful look as his fingers keep his major arteries safe for the moment.

Joker didn't even bat an eye or wipe the blood off before he moved to wrap more cord around the two. "Look Riddles, isn't that _sweet_ ? Your little harlot is trying to keep me from killing your sorry ass," Joker taunted again. "You're pathetic! Weak! I thought you'd know better than to cross me in any way, I thought you were _smarter."_

Robin hissed in pain as the maniac tightened the wire. The Riddler tried to help protect his neck with the young hero's fingers, their blood was mixing together and he was in a lot of pain.

"Awwww are you going to cry, bird boy? Where's the Bat now?" Joker teased.

The Riddler placed his hands over the teen's and looking into his eyes. Trying to convey the sorrow at having gotten him hurt trying to defend the villain. The electric green of his eyes faded to the outer ring.

"Joker!" Batman called as a batarang flew through the air past Joker's face. Batman began beating the stuffing out of the clown while Robin carefully started helping to remove the wire from the two latest victims of Joker's rage.

"B-Birdie ..." Riddler began, his voice horse as he started sputtering and coughing. He gave a weak smile as Robin managed to get the wire off and threw it angrily over his shoulder.

With a gentle motion Robin took the cleanest part of his cape and dabbed at the injuries on Riddler. The Riddler noticed when the scent of his cologne caught the young man's attention, being so close he noticed the small flare of nostrils. He smiled to himself, glad that he smelled good at least, as he carefully ran his own fingers over his injures. One long cut all the way around, three deep at the back of his neck, and a nasty one at the hollow of his throat. He was immensely grateful for Batman's timing this time, since he knew without a doubt that Joker would have gone through Robin's hands to kill him.

The young man pulled him back from the villain so fast it caused him to sway a bit. "You need to keep pressure on your wounds; I'd keep doing that for you but ..."

The Riddler shook his head and looked down at himself, noting the bloody hand-prints all over his suit.

"Sorry," Robin muttered, sounding as though the word was almost an afterthought.

The Riddler can't help himself, as he tore part of his ruined jacket. "Riddle me this … Riddle me that .." he began as he gently started bandaging the wounded hands with the black silk from the inside of his jacket. "How fast does a little Robin's heart beat?"

"Let go of me, and stop that. I'm not playing your games anymore," Robin tried to protest.

"You, My Birdie," the Prince of Puzzles said with a charming; if unhinged, smile. "Are one of my most challenging riddles; my favorite conundrum, my test. My … _enigma_." He brought the now bandaged hands to his cheek, trying to make eye contact and let the young man know who he was truly dealing with at the moment. "Smart little thing, too brave for your own good though."

The Riddler placed a gentle kiss on the back of each hand and then released them with a laugh. "Unfortunately I must leave you now, what's your favorite flower? I'll find one for you."

Robin opened his mouth to protest and the master of riddles laughed. "Tiger Lilly then, a deep orange-red is most fitting." With that he grabbed his staff and took off back out the door, knowing Batman would be able to finish taking care of his young charge from there on.

The Riddler stumbled into his lair, ready to pass out from the steady loss of blood from the cuts on his neck. He tossed his bowler hat on top of the skeleton corner with a growl. He tossed his ruined jacket on the green skeleton in the corner with his hat.

Flopping into his computer chair he heaved an enormous sigh. He typed a few commands into the computer, with a long suffering look. He rolled his neck and there was a sickening crunching noise as he popped his vertebrate back into place. He nodded to himself as some of the stiffness was removed.

"Ah, my dear, sweet , Little Birdie," the Riddler sighed in contentment as he thought over the evening's events. "So brave and sweet to me."

He made his way to the bathroom, intent on taking a shower before taking care of his wounds which would need attention soon. 'Damn the Joker for pulling something like this and causing my Birdie pain,' he thought viciously as his hand tightened into an angry fist. Thoughts of skinning the pale faced moron and doing horrible things.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A couple of weeks later ...

"Are you busy?" came the breathless question as Richard threw himself into the empty chair in Edward's cubicle.

Edward stared at him, a severely masticated pencil hung from his mouth as he looked up from the file he was reading. He took the pencil out of his mouth and took a moment before he replied with, "Never too busy for you, Ri. What's up?"

Noting that the teen seemed nervous, Ed took a sip of his coffee not knowing what was coming.

"I wanted to know if you'd go to a concert with me," Richard blurted out, causing Ed to choke in his shock.

'A concert!' Ed's mind sputtered. He hate tightly packed social situations. He was a loner by nature and preferred to keep it that way. The only other time he had been to a concert was to pick up the drunken male genetic donor ... his father.

"Jesus Eddie! Are you okay? I'm so sorry!" Richard apologized profusely as he hovered over the sputtering scientist.

Edward gave a feeble thumbs-up before going back to his regularly scheduled choking session. As he regained his composure again he sat up to his full height. "Yes, sorry about that I was just surprised. Luckily I kept from raining coffee all over my work."

Richard's nervousness was apparent as he took one of the many pens out of the coffee mug of a fracturing puzzle. He began clicking the pen rapidly, forgetting the fact that it was one of Ed's few pet peeves. Edward felt his eye twitch a little at the sound. "Um anyways, they're my favorite band and my friend gave me the tickets. Originally he was going to go with his girlfriend but she can't so-"

Edward placed a gentle and soothing hand on Richard's wrist to stop the incessant clicking. He gently took the pen from the teen's hands, and gently turned his hands over and looked at the marks on his hands. He made his expression unreadable so Richard wouldn't know he was thinking about their misadventure in the bank with Joker.

"Those are some ... interesting scars, Ri. Are they on both hands?" Eddie asked, voice gentle as he looked at the marks. "What happened? I've never seen anything like these before. They look painful, and pretty new."

"I uh...," Richard began. He cleared his throat to keep his voice from cracking. "After school job, I was fixing a piano and wasn't paying that good of attention I guess."

Eddie merely raised an eyebrow as he gently traced the uncomfortable-looking marks. He knew Richard was lying but wasn't about to call the young man on it. Especially if it revealed his own secret.

"So about the concert …" Richard tried to deflect the close examination by moving his hand out of the larger one. Ed tried to keep himself from unconsciously holding onto the hand in his own.

"Shouldn't you be going with one of your friends from school?" Edward asked, feeling guilt at wanting to go with Richard. He knew it wasn't a good idea but he couldn't keep himself from waning it.

"I want you to go with me," Richard replied stubbornly.

"You know how I feel about things like this," Eddie reminded him. He gave a nervous shift.

"Look Eddie, I ... I really like you and I think it will be fun. I know you hate concerts and think they're good for nothing more than a study on Darwinism but I don't want to go with anyone else."

Eddie tried to ignore the look that was being given to him. His only real hatred of going to a concert stemmed from his hatred of crowds and what could happen to a person in one, but he wasn't about to let that part of it out.

"Please?" Richard begged plaintively.

"I-" Eddie began but was harshly interrupted.

"Nygma," came the stern voice of Mr. Staeman. His horrible whining gravely voice cut through their discussion like a chainsaw. "I presume there is a reason why you are talking to the Wayne kid and not getting that damn report on my desk?"

Eddie's eye twitched imperceptibly as he reached behind him and without a backward glance grabbed the folder in question. He waved it like a paper fan to catch the irritating man's attention. Staeman grabbed the folder and started flipping through it with a disapproving look on his face. He noted Richard catching the date on the back of the folder from the corner of his eye and realized that the report was done over two days ago.

"Why didn't you bring this to me?" Staeman demanded.

"I was about to; it's rude to not address a guest who has come to pay a visit," Eddie replied, trying to keep his voice calm and level.

"This is wrong. Redo it," Staeman replied with a snarl and triumphant look.

Eddie couldn't comprehend what was being said and merely blinked at the belligerent man. "Excuse me, sir?"

"You heard me, Nygma," Staeman replied stomping over to the desk and dropping the folder as though it was on fire. "This is shit!"

"And why is that?" Eddie asked in a calm voice, trying to placate Staeman.

"I told you to stop writing in that damn green pen, so now you get to redo it and the DIOS project. Congratulations, smart-ass," Staeman replied with a triumphant smirk.

Eddie gave the man a kind smile and nodded submissively "Yes sir, I will see to that immediately."

Staemen gave another triumphant smirk of satisfaction and a glare at Richard before turning to leave. Eddie gave a tiny sigh, that project had taken him more than three months and he had been staying at work so much he needed to take his sleeping bag to the cleaners and find a better hiding spot than under his desk. Even Bruce Wayne had been concerned for him.

"As I was saying," Eddie said, trying to get Richard to loosen the tension in his hands before the young man made them bleed. "Usually I wouldn't, but for you, Ri, I'm willing to try."

He noted the happy look of the young man with a smile. Hopefully nothing would go wrong on this particular outing.

Eddie shuffled nervously in front of his closet for over an hour trying to decide what he should wear. Simple and functional?

No. He was headed to a rock concert.

Something that flattered his body but kept him covered against the crowd. That would do just fine.

He dug through the closet and came across his tightest fitting jeans, not an easy find for someone his size. He slipped into them, noting that his recent 'exercise program' had made him gain a little muscle on his legs. Digging further through the closet he came across a pair of ankle high hiking boots that he slipped on. The black of the boots shone nicely with his pants, but now he was faced with the dilemma of finding a shirt. He stared at the various colors in his closet, immediately discarding all of the green shirts. He didn't want to seem as though that was the only thing he had in there.

"What should I wear? Long sleeve or short?" Eddie asked his mirror, looking at his half naked form. He stared again and a slightly shinny red shirt caught his attention. He noted the blood red color and shrugged. That would be his shirt for the evening.

He made his way into the bathroom and opened the medicine closet. Grabbing four small brown bottles with droppers built into the lids and taking three drops from each with a slight shudder. He shook his head and grabbed a contact case, swiftly putting in the clear contacts and checking his reflection in the mirror. He put a thin layer of lip gloss on to keep himself from being tempted to drink anything right away and headed for the door. Figuring on being at the concert hall early so that he could find a good place to wait for Ri, he gave an unconscious smile.

Half an hour later Eddie was ready to kill the next person that laid against him and asked for a kiss. He was tired of being groped and harassed simply because he was waiting for his ... date; the thought sent a shiver up his spine, to arrive. He crossed his arms and glared at everything and everyone around him, hoping that his now sour disposition would drive them away.

"I didn't know you have contacts," came the almost timid voice from near Eddie. He turned to glare and was greeted by the tempting sight of the one person he was waiting for. Richard was certainly a sight to behold. In a green v-neck that accentuated his eyes, and black pants laced up the side, he was definitely, good looking. Eddie swallowed hard.

"Ri, you look ... amazing," Eddie managed to get out without drooling all over himself.

"Yeah? Well so do you," Richard said with a laugh and grabbed Ed's hand to drag him inside. Ed noted that the young man got the black 'X's on the back of his hands while Ed merely flashed his ID at the checker before moving inside.

Eddie only halfheartedly protested being dragged closer and closer to the stage. The smell of alcohol and smoke is enough to bring the sensitive man to his knees but he endured it for his young companion. He choked for a moment as the overwhelming nature of the atmosphere nearly caused him to panic. His breathing became shorted as the smoke began to get to him and he huffed a little.

"Eddie what's wrong?" Richard asked, tone full of concern.

"It's nothing, Ri. No worries. So when is this band of yours supposed to start?" Eddie asked, hoping this wouldn't take too long. Otherwise he would be forced to duck out at regular intervals to keep himself on his feet.

"The opening band is forty-five minutes then it's the main show, which is at least an hour without encore," Richard replied, worry evident in his eyes.

"I see," Eddie replied with a mental wince. That would be too long without fresh air. "I might have to step out every once in awhile to get some air."

"Air? The smell's bothering you?" Richard asked with an adorable cock of his head.

Eddie flicked a stray lock of hair from the enchanting emerald eyes. "I'm allergic to tobacco."

"What .. why didn't you tell me?" Richard demanded, eyes full of guilt.

"Because you are so excited to be here, and I want to be here with you. I took some medicine I'll be fine, just have to be careful is all."

Richard's eyes shift in worry and all Eddie can think to do is pull the young man into a tight hug.

"Have fun, and don't worry so much. Do what you want."

Richard blushed and Eddie noticed his nostrils slight flare as he caught his scent.

Eddie gave him an impish smile and gave a slight flourish. "Hold on, I'll be right back."

Eddie quickly disappears into the crowd, an evil plan forming in his head. 'I can grab a beer and under the pretense of sharing get a kiss out of the ordeal.' Eddie thought mischievously. He made his way to the bar and held up a five in the hand with his marked wrist band. He pointed to a beer and got a cold one without any fuss, leaving the change for the bartender as he quickly slipped back through the crowd to his waiting friend. He noted the amused look on the young man's face as he spotted the beer bottle. 

"Didn't peg you for much of a drinker," Richard said.

Eddie smirked again. "Generally no, however ..." He took a quick sip of beer and closed the distance between the two, capturing the lips of the younger man and passing the beer through shock slackened lips. "How else can I share? You're not old enough."

"So I guess I made it obvious I like you a lot," Richard replied with a nervous look.

"No, not terribly. I'm just very observant," Eddie replied with confidence he didn't feel. "Although it isn't very difficult to be perceptive when I feel the same. Here I thought my willingness to drop anything and everything for you made me obvious," Eddie said with a slight laugh.

"No one we know I here, I checked while getting the beer," Eddie said with a laugh as he noticed Richard looking around in a nearly paranoid fashion.

The two decided to have a good time of it. Four trips outside, twelve songs and two shared beers later, Richard was dancing with a grace that would shame nearly anyone. Eddie was more than willing to lend encouragement to his young companion, afraid that if he should start dancing he would shame himself, or let Richard feel something he wasn't ready to know about just yet. He did allow himself to run his fingers across any bare flesh he could and found it yielded very pleasant results for himself.

Their good time was rudely ended with a gunshot and the sound of insane laughter.

Laughter that made Eddie want to crawl up a wall and never come back down.

It was a laugh that made the marks on his neck; cleverly hidden under foundation and liquid latex, throb painfully.

The entire crowd numbly watched as the lead singer touched his chest with an unfeeling hand and crumpled to the ground.

As new laughter rang out and the body hit the stage, hysterical screaming filled the hall. Eddie and Richard both turned to look around and noted that all of the exits were covered by the cackling freak's cohorts. Eddie noted one that would know him and he knew the only way to contain the situation would be to try and divert the clown. He noted that Richard was not looking in his direction and ghosted off to his scooter.

He grumbled to himself as he swiftly changed between two large trucks, hoping no one would notice him out in the parking lot. Thankfully, no one stumbled into his changing area as he cursed the need to keep at least one of his costumes in the trunk.

Taking as little time as he can, he hurries back inside. Hoping against hope that it is only Joker. One he can deal with. More than that and he's screwed.

He made it back inside in time to see the lights hit Joker and light up the laughing creature. "Now, now don't fret! We have an INCREDIBLE SHOW for you!" the maniac yelled.

"And what is good, wholesome entertainment without a little FEAR?" Scarecrow asked, swaying as though listening to his own music. "Fear is your desire for survival, your humanity crying in injustice."

Ed twitched as his eyes shifted, noting that he would be dealing with his two least favorite villains. At least Joker had an excuse. He was completely out of his mind. Crane was another story all together.

"RIDDLE ME THIS!" Ed cried out, spinning his staff for a flare of the dramatic and tipping his hat. He kept his confident look as the lights hit him and made his eyes water momentarily. He was sitting on the bar counter with one of his usual unhinged smiled. He mentally noted the angry glare of the two other villains and stood up on the counter with another twirl of his signature cane. "When you don't know what it is, it means something. When you know what it is, it means nothing." Ed jumped off the counter with a flourish, making his way towards the stage, being careful to avoid looking for Richard in the crowd. "How about we lose the pitiful drunkards and have a talk. After all, our last conversation really struck a cord," Ed chuckled darkly with a brush of his fingers against his own neck.

He quickly hopped up on the stage, willing himself to continue staring down the two in front of him. Joker gave him a look that simply willed the green clad man to drop dead. Scarecrow placed a calming hand on the purple clad shoulder and whispered something into his ear. Joker nods with malicious glee and steps back.

"All right, Riddler fair enough. However we are going to play a game of mine. Don't worry it's a fun little game, and as long as everyone cooperates no one should be hurt. However don't listen to me and the nice gentlemen at those doors will kill you," Scarecrow taunted. "UNDERSTAND?"

Choruses and nods of 'yes' ripple throughout the crowd. The disturbing masked man nodded and began his 'game.'

"All the women are free to go WITHOUT RUNNING. Run and you will receive a penalty shot to the head."

The Riddler watched as women buzzed with conversation, not wanting to leave their men. A moment more and the men gave their women the encouragement to leave, and in groups and lines they held hands and made their way out. Once all of the women are out of the building the men remaining glared at the lunatics on the stage. The Riddler shifted uncomfortably, not knowing yet what game Scarecrow is playing at.

"Gentlemen! If you are fifteen and younger you may go."

A handful of people make it outside, and the Riddler shuffles nervously again.

"Gentlemen, if you are eighteen or older you are free to go," Scarecrow calls. There are much fewer men left over after the last call.

"Scarecrow," the Riddler's voice was a nasty growl, barely audible. "What. Are. You. Doing?" He kept his tone harsh and chilling.

"Why, Riddler, you should know the answer to that," the textured burlap mask pulled into a grimace that should be a grin. "As we both enjoy the works of Darwin, I thought it most appropriate to have a little fun in a _scientific _manner. I believe there is a young man here that was the key to your survival when you were at the mercy of the Joker, correct? I am simply seeing if I can trace that external factor."

"You son of a-" the Riddler began.

"Gentlemen! Four of our associates are going to come through to have a look at you, hold out your hands with your palms facing up. If you don't have an unusual scars that have occurred within the last four weeks you are free to leave as well. However this is only after our colleges have confirmed this."

The Riddler is more than ready to attack the loon in front of him, but for a single reason.

"Try anything and I will have all of these young men executed on the spot. There are more than enough guns to do so," Scarecrow said. His tone uncaring.

The Riddler pauses, not willing to sacrifice lives for the sake of slaking his anger.

The sound of something metal and plastic being crushed his heard and a low rumble of command. Richard's hands were held up as one of the henchmen called to the stage, "Got 'em boss!"

"All of you leave now!"

Without further protest the remaining young men aside from Richard leave the building in a hurry, not wanting to incur the wrath of the madmen that held them hostage. "Good work, now bring him here."

The thug picked up Richard with little effort and carried him to the stage. As he reached the stage the tossed the high school-er to land; with a skid, at the feet of Scarecrow. Richard couldn't help but yelp as he was dragged up off the floor by his hair and his head was tilted at an unnatural angle so the taller man could get a better look at his catch.

"Well, well, what a pretty little bird," Crane said with a faint musical tone to his voice.

"Crane if you don't let go of him I FUCKING SWEAR TO GOD!" the Riddler snarled and with a roar and held his staff tighter.

"Crane?" came the uncertain question from Richard.

Scarecrow gave him an evil look. "Grayson, was it? 

The Riddler had enough and lunged towards the stage; abruptly stopped by two of the clown-faced guards. Unable to get to the stage and save his friend we was forced to watch as Crane got a better and more restrictive hold on the young man. He moved one arm around his waist firmly while using the other to firmly hold his jaw in place.

Richard's eye held his panic as he tried to gain leverage to escape, causing Ed to try to free himself from his own captors.

"If you hurt him I will kill you. I will skin you alive and roll you in sale and lemon juice. I will castrate you with a rusted blade, rip your organs out in alphabetical order from your mouth," the Riddler said, voice unnervingly calm as the green in his eyes became more unholy and actually seemed to be bleeding into the the whites as he spoke his solemn oath in a low tone.

Scarecrow squeezed the slighter frame to himself and shouted in condemnation, "There is nothing I can do to this boy that is worse than what you have done! The atrocities you have committed are not only unforgivable, but you have betrayed him in ways he will never, ever, fully comprehend. Tell him of your treachery, monster!"

The Riddler's eyes dimmed slightly and he took a half a step back as memories flooded his mind.

"You're a lying sack of shit, Crane! Let go of me!" Richard yelled defiantly.

"And look how sweet and naive this Boy Wonder is, he combats the depravity of this city, yet he still has all the faint in the world vested in you," Scarecrow taunted as he pressed the barrel of a gun to Richard's head, causing the young man to stop struggling. "Let's try this again, tell him the truth, _Nygma_. After all, Joker doesn't know where he is half of the time to remember this night, but I personally would like to savor this."

Ed saw the tears start to form in Richard's eyes as the realization hit him like a freight train. "E-Eddie?" he called in a soft and plaintive voice, willing this to not be the truth.

"I ... he's not lying to you. My god, Ri, what have I done..." the Riddler said, slumping slightly as misery filled his voice. He was now being held up by the guards instead of being held back by them. Joker and Scarecrow laughed at the green-clad man's misery.

"Well I feel this is a suitable enough punishment. Don't double cross us again, Edward. You and your harlot are free to go. Go on, boy. Run along home. And don't dress like such a whore; it gives men like Nygma ideas."

Scarecrow let Richard go, the teen fairly flying from his grasp. Thee steps later, Joker fired his gun one last time, the bullet ripping through the small frame and taking the boy down.

"Consolation prize, Riddles," Joker cackled as the gang left Ed to pick up Richard from a pool of the young man's own blood.

Ed carefully picked up Richard, arms and hands gentle as he saw the young man pass out. His own eyes had bled completely to a dark blue color as he stood and carefully carried the young man outside and drove him straight to the hospital. He stopped a block away, tearing at his own clothes before hand and using them to help stem the bleeding.

Ed had very little thought process left as he stumbles into the ER of Gotham Hospital with the pale and blood soaked Richard in his arms and his own backpack over one shoulder.

It takes the doctors and nurses a few moments to get him to let go of the boy as he arms and body went numb shortly after he picked the teen up. He had no recollection of how he ended up in the waiting room, changed into clean clothes with his costume aside from the cane having been disposed of in the hospital incinerator.

Eddie came back to himself several hours later as Alfred, the doctor and a couple of high-school students showed up and spoke to him. The only thing that came through his fogged mind was the fact that Richard was alright and he was going to pull through.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A few hours later ...

Ed had been pacing for over four hours. He had been given the information about how Richard had done in surgery. He felt a wave of relief at the fact Ri would make it through just fine as the bullet had traveled straight through and had hit nothing major, most of his unconsciousness was from blood loss and shock.

Eddie had been pacing the hallway and waiting room so much that one of the nurses had given him a mild sedative that only made matters worse. Thanks to the effects of the sedative and his own ADHD he didn't sleep for his entire time in the waiting room.

Alfred was a welcome distraction for the stressed out man but Bruce Wayne had no positive influence on his condition.

"How could you take advantage of him like that?" Bruce demanded of the lithe man as he stormed into the waiting room at the hospital. He marched right up to Edward and shoved the man backward. Eddie fell backward and hit the wall, unable and unwilling to catch himself.

"I-" Eddie tried to counter, eyes a dark blue color in his depression.

"You took a high school kid to a concert, and you spend an inappropriate amount of time with him. I've heard from Staeman and Stickly that you've been making passes at him while you're at work," Bruce snarled. 

"But, Mr. Wayne you don't understand," Eddie tried. "Staeman..."

"Told me that Richard is at your desk more than three times a week after school and that you two have been making passes at each other! He's a kid that's just beginning to get to know himself.. but you should know better!"

"Mr. Wayne, I've been tutoring him," Eddie replied and sat down, curing in on himself. He was nearly completely folded into the chair when Bruce took another menacing step towards him.

"It was fine when you were just tutoring him," Bruce countered. "This kind of behavior with some one that is seven years younger than you! I won't allow it! I'll-"

Alfred's firm and sturdy hand stopped the tirade. Eddie had his head buried in his own knees, guilt wracked him as he rocked viciously enough to hit his head against the wall on every third rock. "Bruce, you must calm yourself," Alfred said in a firm tone.

Bruce turned to look at his long time friend, confusion in his face.

"He has been helping Master Richard since he was twelve and Edward found him wandering around Wayne Enterprises looking for a quiet place to study since you had... other business to attend to. Edward found him looking frustrated in the lobby as one of the security guards was asking him to leave. Edward took pity on him and told the guard he was there for a study session and took him up to his cubicle. He then found out that Master Grayson was having problems with his mathematics and agreed to help him if he would cheer up. He did and ever since then Master Richard has been visiting Edward three times a week for study sessions."

Eddie looked up as Alfred placed a calming hand on his rocking shoulders. "Alfred? Thank you, but you don't have to. I-I don't want Ri to get into trouble on my account. I feel bad enough that I couldn't protect him. I-I was outside when the gunmen showed up and ... they wouldn't let me back in. After Ri...I found him... he was..." Eddie broke down. Tears streamed down from his face and he buried it once again in his knees.

"Are you satisfied now, Master Bruce? Edward feels terrible about what happened. Now, if you would like, I will wait with Master Richard until he awakens and you can get back to work. I'm sure Edward has a few sick days coming, and he would like to let Master Richard know that he is okay before he leaves, yes?"

Bruce glared at Eddie's slumped form before giving a terse nod.

"Wait!" Eddie called, hand outstretched but not moving from his spot. "Um, Ri's phone go smashed during the incident. I can pay for a new one if you'd like. I found the data chip from it and you can have them reprogram his new phone with it. Then it will have most of his settings." Eddie dug in his pocket and pulled out a tiny chip in a plastic sandwich bag. "On my way in I saw his smashed phone. I threw the rest of it away, but this part should be helpful."

Bruce took the offered bag with an angry jerk of his hand and looked at the chip. "Thank you, Edward. You may take until Richard is out of the hospital and then I expect you back at work."

"Thank you, sir," Eddie replied and curled back into himself.

"I'll see you later, Alfred." And with that Bruce Wayne left the hospital.

"Don't mind him, Edward. He's just worried about Master Richard. He'll be alright in a while," Alfred comforted the distraught scientist.

"How long is a while?" Eddie asked.

Alfred made a vague gesture.

Eddie laughed and unfolded, pulling out his own phone and ordering food for those in the waiting room.

Two days ...

And thirty-six coffee pots later...

Eddie was nearly vibrating with worry and anticipation. He had worn a spot on the floor in front of the chair he had claimed as his own. He had yet to leave the hospital even once.

The nurse came by for her morning rounds and saw Eddie, pacing again in his path and shook her head. "Did you need anything before I start my rounds, Mr. Nygma?"

Edward jumped in shock of having someone address him and as he looked at the nurse she could see he clearly hadn't slept at all in the time he'd been at the hospital. "N-no thank you. Do you know if there is any new information on Richard Grayson?"

"None yet, But I haven't done my rounds so, who knows?" she replied with a kindly smile as she left the room.

Edward turned back to his pacing, his mind was running a million miles an hour.

Cali and Terry joined Edward a few minutes later, both had their school gear with them and got a brief; if distracted, greeting. Not ten minutes later Alfred walked into the waiting room.

"News?" Edward asked, voice slightly panicked as he feared for the worst.

"Yes, Master Richard is awake and wanting to know if you all will come and see him," Alfred replied with a kindly smile and a nod off his head.

"Great!" Terry exclaimed.

"Go ahead, he's your friend and the two of you have to be getting to school. Go visit him, I'll go after," Eddie said with his eyes downcast. He wasn't even sure he wanted to go into the room. If his Ri hated him ...

"Okay, thanks man!" the jock replied with enthusiasm born from hundreds of football games and pep rallies.

The two high school students left with Alfred, leaving Eddie alone with his thoughts again. And they kept falling back to the fact that this was all his fault.

If he hadn't tried to help Batman and Robin.

If he hadn't been at the concert.

If Robin hadn't helped the Riddler when Joker tried to kill him.

If he hadn't been a part in Richard's life.

Then maybe the young man would be at school with his friends. Safe and secure away from the overt scrutiny from other villains.

...if only he hadn't become the Riddler.

Edward threw himself into one of the chairs and began beating the back of his head against the wall repeatedly. Hitting his head harder with each strike until Alfred came into the room and gave him a disapproving look.

"Edward?" Alfred called, noting that the red-haired man seemed to be in a daze.

"Yes?" Eddie asked in a tiny voice as he stood up, body slouching so much that he looked to be no more than six feet tall.

"He's asking for you," Alfred replied and started to lead the way. The two made their way the short distance to the room and the butler suddenly made himself scarce.

Edward watched the two teens leave the room and they waved at him. He gave a sheepish wave back and turned back to the door which had been left open only a crack. He leaned in, must barely able to see into the room He watched as Richard stretched and managed to pop a few of his joints in the process with a chirp and sigh of contentment.

"Ri?" Edward called in a tiny voice, so soft it was barely audible. He didn't want to disturb the young man. He nearly ran for it when emerald eyes caught his own and held him in place.

"Eddie." Richard said with a smile. He reached out with a finger and beckoned the older man to enter the room. "Come here."

Edward made his way to being in the doorway but not further. Too nervous to go in, lest he be chased out of the room. "Are you mad at me?" he couldn't help but utter.

"No," came the simple reply.

Edward took a few more tentative steps into the room. "Promise?"

"I swear to you, I'm not mad at you in anyway. I just want you to come here." Eddie gave him a look as though his soul had been torn out of his body, and truth be told that was how Ed was feeling at that moment. "Please... I just ... we need to talk, and-"

Edward closed the distance between the two of them in the blink of an eye. Unable to keep himself away from the person he cares about most in the world. He quickly gathered the smaller man into his arms and tried to reassure himself that his Ri was really there with him. He felt a hand on his chest and for a brief moment he felt as though he was going to be pushed away.

"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. Please don't hat me," Eddies pleaded, his eyes still the darker blue color as tears threatened to drown out his vision. "Don't leave me! I wouldn't be able to take it if you did. I wanted to tell you, to explain _everything, _I did. However I was certain you would have despised me."

Richard melted into the comforting embrace. He looked up in time to see some of the electric green melting into the sadder blue from the outside in.

"Eddie?" Robin queried quietly.

Edward pulled himself back from the brink of panic, his mind racing.

"Can I ask you something personal?" Richard asked.

"You can ask me anything you wish, Ri," Eddie replied without a though, he knew there was thing he could hide from the young man any longer.

Edward watched as his Ri bit his bottom lip in an unconsciously cute maneuver as he thought about what he wanted to say next. "Do you remember anything when you're the Riddler?'

"Remember ... anything?" Edward asked, confused by the statement and how to answer it truthfully.

"As in, are you completely aware of everything you do or do you blank out and never know?" Richard clarified.

"Neither," Edward answered simply.

"Neither?"

Edward shifted his long limbs, unease in is long limbed frame as he tried to find a way to explain. "Most of the time I'm at least half aware, but sometimes I'm not aware at all."

Edward watched as the teen reached over his hospital bed and grabbed him by the shirt. With a sound that was halfway between a squeak and a surprised growl he allowed himself to be pulled onto the bed. A few moments of shifting and maneuvering allowed the two of them to cuddle even though the researcher was too tall for the bed.

"So ... he's another personality?"

"Yes. One I've had to cope with for a very long time," Eddie replied as memories threatened to overtake him.

"Does he only show up when you're really stressed?"

"Any strong emotions can provoke him," Eddie replied, with a deep breath and gave confident strokes to Richard's ribs. "If I can stop him I do, but most of the time there is nothing I can do."

Richard made a soft churring sound thanks to the petting. "Okay."

"Okay?" Eddie asked, slightly confused.

"Okay."

Eddie took a moment and let his other personality take over and his voice dropped into a sultry tone. "You're not afraid of me?" the Riddler asked, his voice was clearly not his normal voice.

Richard looked straight into the electric green eyes for a full minute before answering. "No, I'm not."

The Riddler gave him a lazy; almost predatory grin. "That makes me very happy, very happy indeed. May Eddie and I call you Birdie from now on?"

"Yes," Richard replied quickly. He paused for a moment, as though afraid to ask his next question. "Do you go by something different or...?"

The Riddler laughed and shook his head. "Ed is just fine; there is not need for a name to distinguish when there is so little difference."

"Okay ... Ed and Eddie ... makes sense to me," Richard replied, he seemed to take a moment to see how it sounded on his tongue.

"Birdie..." Ed whispered too quiet to be heard by the other occupant in the bed. "Birdie..." he whispered again, as through tasting the new nickname like fine candy. "Birdie..." this time his voice was just loud enough to be heard.

Ri gently moved Ed's shirt collar enough to place a chaste kiss on the now exposed scars on the older man's neck. Being at the hospital for two days didn't leave him with time to go home and cover the marks. Ed rewarded him for his gentle ministrations by allowing his petting to move further. "I like that name, it fits you."

Using a single finger, Ed tipped Richard's head back and began kissing the teen. The kiss demanded nothing but was quickly developing into more when a sound cut through the moment.

"Ahem," Alfred cleared his throat, loud enough for the two to hear him.

Richard's head snapped up and away, he placed his hands on the researcher's chest and pushed him down and away while looking at Alfred like a caught teen.. Edward; though crushed to the bed, also had the deer-caught-in-headlights look. "A-Al!" Richard stuttered.

The butler entered the room and looked straight at Edward, no signs of recrimination in his face."Mr. Nygma, Master Wayne is current in rout and should be here within four minutes. I came to fetch you and get you out of here before he arrives."

"Thanks," Richard said, a laugh and blush both tinting his face. Ed blushed hard and the thought of having to steal away before his boyfriend's father caught them.

Alfred raised an eyebrow at the two of them and artfully hid his own grin. "No need to thank me. The only reason he has not appears sooner is I told him of Richard's broken phone and he went to purchase him a new one, hence buying you two a little time in the process."

"Thanks Al, you're a lifesaver," Richard said with a grateful look as Eddie began the process of untangling himself.

"Clearly."

"And I have four minutes to get out of here?" Eddie asked already nearly at the door.

"Technically three now."

The scientist grabbed a piece of paper from the bedside table and wrote something quickly, touching one of the orange tiger lilies briefly. "Because I know you don't have it memorized."

"Okay, thanks Eddie."

"Edward, I would like to return you to Richard in good condition one of these days." And with that final comment the two older men quickly made their way of the room. They barely missed Bruce by a minute, Eddie had seen him and the two had ducked into a spare room and waited until the other man had passed by.

They gave the man a few moments before they started on their way out again but were stopped by the sound of Richard pleading. The sound became more and more heartbroken and pitiful. Ed's eyes began to bleed to green and the only thing that stopped him from running back into the hospital room and severely maiming Bruce was Alfred's insistent shove just as Richard screamed. Alfred was gone in a flash and Ed numbly forced himself to leave the hospital, marching his way to his scooter that had been forgotten since the day before and drove home. He didn't even bother with his helmet as numbness encased his whole body and mind.

He found himself on the top of the tallest building in Gotham when he came back to himself. His head hurt as memories overwhelmed him and he looked at the edge of the building, and ... for a few moments seriously considered throwing himself off of it and making sure he couldn't hurt anyone ever again.

Especially his Birdie.

He had never meant to hurt the young man, and he never wanted to again.

Looking at the edge of the building again he decided against it and looked for the way down instead. His little Birdie would need him when he was home. He slowly walked down the stairs to the elevator, and he wasn't even sure what building he was in. Listening to the terrible muzak that seemed to be in every elevator in the world, he tried to formulate a plan on how to apologize to Richard.

He walked out in his own little world, not able or willing to register the few people that tried to talk to him on the way out of the building.

He arrived at home still numb to everything. The echoing of his Ri's screams seemed to echo in his head as he flopped onto the couch. Edward considered going to bed and trying again fresh in the morning but decided he should try to find something to occupy is time.

A plan.

No... the plan.

The plan for a few very nice date. He knew that wooing Ri would be the best idea at this point, if he came up with the perfect idea then he would have the young man all to himself.


End file.
